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VGC: Sony is winding down Japan Studio

DeepEnigma

Gold Member
Call it Jim Ryan is new Don Mattrick.
Some clown posts in here.

The man built the EU PS market into the dominant behemoth that it is. This is on the higher ups in Japan, and the article still isn't certain on all the details with the sub work such as the Demon's Souls collaboration and the like.

I would not be shocked if Demon's Souls was BP's trial run into Bloodborne 2.
 

kretos

Banned
People with knowledge of the matter told VGC that Sony Japan Studio simply hasn’t been profitable enough in recent years; the developer wanted to create games that appealed to the Japanese market first with hopes of having global appeal, while PlayStation wants the kind of global hits that its other first-party studios produce.

Jim Ryan wtf are you doing? close one of the oldest studios within Sony because they're not making enough money? i doubt games like Gravity Rush cost even 10mil, not everything needs to be AAA and sell 10 mil
 

Elog

Member
My favourite Sony IPs are Bloodborne, Shadow of the Colossus, The Last Guardian, Wipeout and R&C, so I don't see any reason to buy a PS5.
And none were developed by Japan Studio. Not sure what you are on about - Sony continues to have relationships with Japanese studios as before. Japan Studio has basically not done any game since Knack 2 (and before that Knack 1 and Gravity Rush 2).
 
D

Deleted member 17706

Unconfirmed Member
But....there has been tons of incredible games released by western first party studios the past decade? No wonder they are selling, these studios are making games people want to play. These underperforming Japanese studios were pumping out niche titles that a relatively small group of people were buying.

Weird that you would turn it into a woke thing, doesn't it get tiring constantly being on edge looking for the boogeyman woke in everything? It's a business decision, nothing more. The majority dont want these niche Japanese games anymore.

I buy their western output, too! I typically enjoy just about all of the exclusives they put out. Still, I would be disappointed if all we got in the future were big and epic triple A western-developed "serious games" with nods toward American-centric intersectional identities.

A big part of what made PlayStation special to me, especially in the first two generations of consoles, was just how much unique and experimental stuff also came out of them.
 

EDMIX

Member
So in the last ten years Sony has shut down the following studios:

  1. Japan Studios
  2. Evolution Studios
  3. Guerrilla Cambridge
  4. Manchester Studio (VR studio that never released a game)
  5. BigBig Studios (Pursuit force, Motorstorm Arctic Edge)
  6. Sony Liverpool (Wipeout studio)
  7. Zipper Interactive
  8. Incognito Studio (Warhawk)
  9. Team Ico
All while posting record profits. I guess they bought Insomniac and started a new studio in San Diego so yay?

Well....yes and 10 years before that they closed down and opened new studios just as they are today.

Thats called business. I'd argue its not normal to NEVER close anything down or never open up a new studio or something weird like that. Business is about making money where you can, when you can. Its not a thing that just stays the same, like something static.

I don't think I can even name 1 major publisher that in the last 10 years closed down zero studios or opened zero studios.
 

Derktron

Banned
The proof is in the pudding, the predication where Sony is going more towards the western audience is becoming more clear
each time something like this happens. I can’t believe PlayStation would be stupid enough to do this. One of the things that always made PlayStation unique was their Japanese games that was in-house. Not good at all.
 

Freeway

Neo Member
Gravity Rush was my favourite series on Vita/PS4
what a shame, I hope everyone affected finds a new place to make more awesome games
 
Sony's logic is to have a profitable studio. If the games they released didn't even well in Japan, then you have to make changes.

They tried investing in games like Gravity Rush with the hope it would become a success in the US and Japan and that didn't turn out to be the case. One of the games that saw success has been Astro Bot and that team is still intact at Japan studio.

This is just a poor example.

Sony's logic is based on the sales.
They don't have any prior anlysis based on qualities or potential to maybe reskin the characters like Nintendo does including Mario in its sports games to perform better in the market and grow.
They don't put any effort in know what people want.
They only risk with what has already worked for them as we have seen the umpteenth third-person Unchartesque game.
We are claiming for a big budget JRPG, that maybe it does not sell like the most but it is profitable enough to sell consoles and make its lineup more powerful. This is what Nintendo is doing.

Now Sony's japanese market would be just the big multiplatform games. The games that Xbox already have, except those which Sony pays. Pay for third exclusives, Don Mattrick would be proud.
 

EDMIX

Member
And none were developed by Japan Studio. Not sure what you are on about - Sony continues to have relationships with Japanese studios as before. Japan Studio has basically not done any game since Knack 2 (and before that Knack 1 and Gravity Rush 2).

Agreed. I mean...they might have just answered just why Sony might be winding down with that studio. I think in Japan they might be used like Sony Santa Monica, to help out other teams.
 

Elog

Member
A lot of people in this thread are mixing up the fact that Japan studio acted as a conduit for Japanese collaborations and games they developed themselves. The former remains intact - the latter is what is changing.
 

kyliethicc

Member

Can't blame Jim on a studio that's been on a decline since the PS3

They're focusing on what's worked over the last 7 years. Team ASOBI and supporting other devs.

Japan Studio themselves never put out a successful AAA game on PS4. Astro Bot VR was their only real success, and now Astro Playroom on PS5 has been well received. That's why that game director now runs the studio. Astro Bot is a promosing new IP for PS5 and VR.

Otherwise, they'e gonna be used as a support team for other devs like Bluepoint. Sony doesn't give a fuck about making Gravity Rush 3 anymore. Its a waste of their money.

bbnD9Kd.jpg


Surprise Surprise the guy who made Astro Bot was promoted to run the studio. Cause the game is good and was made on time.

LFHW9Fq.jpg
 

Keihart

Member
I saw this coming, fuck Jim Ryan and company.

Pour one for the hommies:
iu

iu

iu

iu

iu

iu

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And this is not even considering amazing co productions like Bloodborne and Rule of Rose, fuck California Sony.

#MAKEWWSGREATAGAIN bring back Yoshida
iu
 
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THEAP99

Banned
They're focusing on what's worked over the last 7 years. Team ASOBI and supporting other devs.

Japan Studio themselves never put out a successful AAA game on PS4. Astro Bot VR was their only real success, and now Astro Playroom on PS5 has been well received. That's why that game director now runs the studio. Astro Bot is a promosing new IP for PS5 and VR.

Otherwise, they'e gonna be used as a support team for other devs like Bluepoint. Sony doesn't give a fuck about making Gravity Rush 3 anymore. Its a waste of their money.

bbnD9Kd.jpg


Surprise Surprise the guy who made Astro Bot was promoted to run the studio. Cause the game is good and was made on time.

LFHW9Fq.jpg
Yeah i mean i really can't blame sony for this choice. It's logical decision
 

Miles708

Member
And people were saying all Japanese developers abandoning the ship at once was a completely normal phenomenon. Sony in Japan is dead, as much add I enjoy Horizon, that's hardly all I want to play.

Coupled with the record earnings from Sony, this sucks from every possible angle.

Bad bad bad.
 

Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius




More at the source: Sources: PlayStation is winding down Sony Japan Studio | VGC (videogameschronicle.com)

My personal feelings aside this makes a ton of financial sense. Largely what I have been saying for a little while. Writing has been on a wall. Install base in Japan fell after PS2 era and never recovered. Japan Studios' games were not lighting up the charts or even necessarily resonating with Japanese audiences. Meanwhile they have seen a ton of growth in the West and with service revenue. The big "HD" franchises like Final Fantasy and Persona continue to be relevant in both Japan (despite lower install base) and the West. Retaining a small team and largely shifting to work as a publishing partner and securing exclusivity deals. Better ROI. Hopefully this doesn't preclude PC and Switch titles where exclusivity is concerned; would rather not see third party titles tethered to one piece of hardware.

Well f*...
 

DForce

NaughtyDog Defense Force
Sony's logic is based on the sales.
They don't have any prior anlysis based on qualities or potential to maybe reskin the characters like Nintendo does including Mario in its sports games to perform better in the market and grow.
They don't put any effort in know what people want.
They only risk with what has already worked for them as we have seen the umpteenth third-person Unchartesque game.
We are claiming for a big budget JRPG, that maybe it does not sell like the most but it is profitable enough to sell consoles and make its lineup more powerful. This is what Nintendo is doing.

Now Sony's japanese market would be just the big multiplatform games. The games that Xbox already have, except those which Sony pays. Pay for third exclusives, Don Mattrick would be proud.
It's a business.

It's not a business just to make fans happy by making unsuccessful video games. That's something in which you have a hard time understanding. If your logic was correct, they would've gave up on Astro Bot IP along time ago.

One of their most successful games in most recent years has been Astro Bot and which team is currently staying intact at Japan Studio?

Yes, that one.

It's always a business first to make money\profit. It's not a business just to satisfy fans.
 

DeepEnigma

Gold Member
They're focusing on what's worked over the last 7 years. Team ASOBI and supporting other devs.

Japan Studio themselves never put out a successful AAA game on PS4. Astro Bot VR was their only real success, and now Astro Playroom on PS5 has been well received. That's why that game director now runs the studio. Astro Bot is a promosing new IP for PS5 and VR.

Otherwise, they'e gonna be used as a support team for other devs like Bluepoint. Sony doesn't give a fuck about making Gravity Rush 3 anymore. Its a waste of their money.

bbnD9Kd.jpg


Surprise Surprise the guy who made Astro Bot was promoted to run the studio. Cause the game is good and was made on time.

LFHW9Fq.jpg
Bringing the logical deets.
 
D

Deleted member 17706

Unconfirmed Member
It's a business.

It's not a business just to make fans happy by making unsuccessful video games. That's something in which you have a hard time understanding. If your logic was correct, they would've gave up on Astro Bot IP along time ago.

One of their most successful games in most recent years has been Astro Bot and which team is currently staying intact at Japan Studio?

Yes, that one.

It's always a business first to make money\profit. It's not a business just to satisfy fans.

It's a business, but it's also a creative industry and you never know what's going to hit, so it's important to balance experimentation along with what you consider safe bets or you will eventually stagnate.
 

SLB1904

Banned
So in the last ten years Sony has shut down the following studios:

  1. Japan Studios
  2. Evolution Studios
  3. Guerrilla Cambridge
  4. Manchester Studio (VR studio that never released a game)
  5. BigBig Studios (Pursuit force, Motorstorm Arctic Edge)
  6. Sony Liverpool (Wipeout studio)
  7. Zipper Interactive
  8. Incognito Studio (Warhawk)
  9. Team Ico
All while posting record profits. I guess they bought Insomniac and started a new studio in San Diego so yay?
They haven't shut down japan studios. Why reading and comprehension so hard in this place?
 

AGRacing

Gold Member
I hope that some of you who are upset today were some of the same people who shrugged off the closure of my beloved Wip3out developer - Studio Liverpool.

My heart is broken. I only seek revenge so that I might feel something ... anything.

art flying GIF by Mathew Lucas

:(
 

Keihart

Member
So in the last ten years Sony has shut down the following studios:

  1. Japan Studios
  2. Evolution Studios
  3. Guerrilla Cambridge
  4. Manchester Studio (VR studio that never released a game)
  5. BigBig Studios (Pursuit force, Motorstorm Arctic Edge)
  6. Sony Liverpool (Wipeout studio)
  7. Zipper Interactive
  8. Incognito Studio (Warhawk)
  9. Team Ico
All while posting record profits. I guess they bought Insomniac and started a new studio in San Diego so yay?
Team Ico was Japan Studios to be fair and not to be an ass but, that's the only real lost in that list. The IP's that Sony holds because of Japan Studio are no slouch and could be really exploited if better management managed to pick up the pace.
 
It's a business, but it's also a creative industry and you never know what's going to hit, so it's important to balance experimentation along with what you consider safe bets or you will eventually stagnate.

Gravity Rush 2 got made. Sony tried. And nobody actually liked that game lets not pretend anything of value was lost.
Yeah Kat is cute the game isn't.
 

YukiOnna

Member
How credible is VGC? That aside, Sony lost that market to Nintendo a while ago (they are to blame as a business) so it's not surprising Ryan would go for this approach since it minimizes costs. As much as I despise it as a player and thought they had a decent balance back during last gen and before. The current first party line-up is of no interest to me as fatigue has already settled in.
 

BabyYoda

Banned
I really don't get Japan at all, I guess they prefer mobile games, can't stand them myself.

As much as I hate the current government of China, I have some hope for their gaming industry. They have a similar eye for aesthetics and quirkiness as Japan, but prefer to game on a PC (well more than Japan anyway), as a PC gamer it bodes well for the future.

I received My Time at Portia on the Epic Store for free and it's exactly the kind of game I wished Japan would release for the PC, but as they have some kind of allergic reaction to that particular platform, it rarely happens.

Some are at least porting their games their eventually. But with the aforementioned developer and others in China, it's regarded as their format of choice, rather than treating it like a dog and giving it crumbs now and again!

I'm actually disappointed that South Korea hasn't had better PC output considering their love of SC.

Don't get me started on Nintendo...
 
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Papacheeks

Banned

So crude, but it works, haha!

Team Ico was Japan Studios to be fair and not to be an ass but, that's the only real lost in that list. The IP's that Sony holds because of Japan Studio are no slouch and could be really exploited if better management managed to pick up the pace.
Which is what is happening. Japanese management had issues making deadlines on games. look at team asobi, guys made Playroom VR, ASTROBOT RESCUE MISSION, ASTROBOT adventure and all of those are doing well. Even though one of them is a pack in, it's been played by millions. The head guy at Asobi team is now in charge of Japan studio and I think he gets what the spirit of the studio is.

It's in good hands. Ueda took forever with Last guardian part of that was not all his fault with the hardware it started on. But then he was given more money, more time to complete it on PS4. ANd the game didn't sell super well. Through their external development and Asobi team they have found success. So it's natural the old guard step down.

Unless What i've head is totally wrong, soon you will see more with Japans studio's stamp on it.
 
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stitch1

Member
If Sony only makes games that sell big numbers then this generation we are going to have boring ass game selection. One thing I liked about PlayStation 2, it had nice selection of both Japanese games and western games. I don’t need PlayStation turn in to Xbox.
I kind of feel like Xbox is slowly turning into Play Station. Because of GamePass Xbox is able to put more indie or "risky" tiles on there where they can find an audience. With Sony's current business model they are going to have to rely on big blockbusters to keep the money flowing.
 

SLB1904

Banned
I think that one hit the most hardest. even though fumito completed it under a completely new studio. he was just burnt out on developing on it for so long. when team ico dissolved that's when Japan studio slowly started to take a backseat.
Ueda was a contractor. And team ico was japan studios. Same as team gravity daze or whatever they used to call. What on on about?
 
I hope that some of you who are upset today were some of the same people who shrugged off the closure of my beloved Wip3out developer - Studio Liverpool.

My heart is broken. I only seek revenge so that I might feel something ... anything.

art flying GIF by Mathew Lucas

:(
Studio Liverpool made the best f1 games maaaaaan, f1 championship edition was the shit!
 

Neofire

Member
Some clown posts in here.

The man built the EU PS market into the dominant behemoth that it is. This is on the higher ups in Japan, and the article still isn't certain on all the details with the sub work such as the Demon's Souls collaboration and the like.

I would not be shocked if Demon's Souls was BP's trial run into Bloodborne 2.
Do you live in the EU or something? Because every time I see you post about Jim you are going hard like he saved playstation or something lol. Imo Andrew House has done way more during the ps4 time frame.


Sounds about right unfortunately.
 
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